Matthew A. Dooley
Director
Overview
Matt Dooley is a Director of Dooley Gembala McLaughlin Pecora. He concentrates his practice on complex litigation matters stemming from business, consumer, environmental, and governmental controversies. He is recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators, 2023 and 2024.
His litigation experience includes the successful representation of:
- Various rural water districts and associations throughout the United States in service territory disputes under § 1926(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
- Local governments in disputes arising under intergovernmental agreements to provide water and sanitary sewer service.
- Contractors and owners in multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects, including litigation challenging the sufficiency of performance.
- Local governments and landowners in eminent domain proceedings.
- Public housing authorities in various HUD-compliance matters.
- Public and private entities before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Ohio Civil Rights Commission.
- Multiple manufacturers in disputes with customers and suppliers.
- Employers and employees in non-compete and trade secret litigation.
- Special counsel to multiple public entities in complex litigation.
- General counsel to many private businesses.
- Shareholder litigation.
- Over two dozen certified class actions recovering over $60 million paid to individuals throughout the United States for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Credentials:
J.D., St. Thomas University School of Law, 2006
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Hampden-Sydney College
Memberships:
The Ohio State Bar Association
The Federal Bar Association
The Lorain County Bar Association, where he also serves as Bar Counsel charged with enforcing the Rules of Professional Conduct before the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct and the Ohio Supreme Court.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the largest aviation community in the world with pilots spanning 75 countries.
Recent Awards:
Matt's been recognized each year from 2021 – 2025 by Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation. Matt has been selected to Super Lawyers® each year from 2021 – 2025.
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- Supreme Court of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
He has also been admitted pro hac vice to the following courts:
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Accomplishments
Secured a complete defense verdict in a commercial litigation dispute after a three-day jury trial where the plaintiff sought $890,025 in damages arising from the seven-figure purchase of a CNC machining equipment. After deliberating for barely one hour, the jury returned a verdict in favor of our client on all counts and awarded our client the remaining $241,575 due under the contract.
Matt was selected as a speaker for the 2024 WaterPro Conference in Savannah, Georgia on September 9-11. His topic was The Changing Landscape of § 1926(b).
Matt is among the presenters at the PHADA 2024 Annual Convention & Exhibition taking place in New Orleans from June 2-5, 2024. His topic is Build America, Buy American (BABA): Preparing for Compliance and Implementation.
Matt presented, along with Ryan Gembala, at the OHAC/NCRC Spring Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 2, 2024. The topic was the Build America, Buy America Act.
Matt was an invited speaker at the Alabama Rural Water Association's Annual Conference on March 12, 2024. His topic was “Service Territory Protection (USDA § 1926(b)) and Other Legal Opportunities.”
Matt was selected as one of America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators in 2023 and 2024. The award honors the nation’s most exceptional trial lawyers for High Stakes Business Litigation (matters valued in excess of $2,000,000). Qualifying candidates are ranked based on a broad array of criteria, including the candidate’s professional experience, legal achievements, significant Business Litigation case results, peer reputation, and community impact.
Matt has been recognized each year since 2021 by U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyers in America® for his Commercial Litigation Law practice.
He is rated as an Ohio Super Lawyer from 2021 - 2024.